SOC 53-2012 · Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
Commercial Pilots
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries
U.S. median annual wage$123,220
U.S. median hourly wageNot published
U.S. employment47,630
Nationally, commercial pilots earned a median of $123,220 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 47,630 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.
National pay distribution
Pay by state
Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.
| State | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | $232,160 | Not published | 460 | 0.3 |
| New Jersey | $226,710 | Not published | 670 | 0.2 |
| New York | $177,430 | Not published | 1,070 | 0.1 |
| California | $165,590 | Not published | 4,900 | 0.3 |
| Delaware | $163,600 | Not published | 220 | 0.5 |
| Ohio | $150,330 | Not published | 2,680 | 0.5 |
| Georgia | $145,100 | Not published | 1,020 | 0.2 |
| Colorado | $139,680 | Not published | 1,240 | 0.4 |
| Texas | $137,960 | Not published | 4,120 | 0.3 |
| Vermont | $137,810 | Not published | 40 | 0.1 |
| Pennsylvania | $134,030 | Not published | 530 | 0.1 |
| North Dakota | $133,010 | Not published | 370 | 0.9 |
| Maryland | $131,210 | Not published | 360 | 0.1 |
| Kentucky | $129,990 | Not published | 800 | 0.4 |
| Wisconsin | $129,860 | Not published | 1,090 | 0.4 |
| North Carolina | $127,310 | Not published | 1,520 | 0.3 |
| Michigan | $126,670 | Not published | 1,390 | 0.3 |
| Oklahoma | $126,180 | Not published | 540 | 0.3 |
| Illinois | $126,100 | Not published | 1,170 | 0.2 |
| Florida | $121,890 | Not published | 6,340 | 0.6 |
| Oregon | $120,760 | Not published | 670 | 0.3 |
| Washington | $117,730 | Not published | 890 | 0.3 |
| Maine | $117,560 | Not published | 100 | 0.2 |
| Tennessee | $117,480 | Not published | 1,030 | 0.3 |
| Hawaii | $113,030 | Not published | 350 | 0.6 |
| Idaho | $109,620 | Not published | 310 | 0.4 |
| West Virginia | $105,950 | Not published | 40 | 0.1 |
| South Carolina | $105,740 | Not published | 290 | 0.1 |
| Kansas | $105,440 | Not published | 680 | 0.5 |
| Nevada | $105,340 | Not published | 1,100 | 0.7 |
| Virginia | $104,890 | Not published | 1,130 | 0.3 |
| Nebraska | $104,780 | Not published | 290 | 0.3 |
| Indiana | $104,160 | Not published | 960 | 0.3 |
| Montana | $103,690 | Not published | 330 | 0.7 |
| Mississippi | $103,640 | Not published | 240 | 0.2 |
| Arizona | $103,060 | Not published | 1,540 | 0.5 |
| Missouri | $102,990 | Not published | 670 | 0.2 |
| Wyoming | $102,990 | Not published | 190 | 0.7 |
| Iowa | $101,800 | Not published | 300 | 0.2 |
| Alabama | $101,420 | Not published | 780 | 0.4 |
| Alaska | $100,120 | Not published | 1,000 | 3.1 |
| Utah | $99,610 | Not published | 540 | 0.3 |
| Rhode Island | $98,820 | Not published | 80 | 0.2 |
| Minnesota | $98,630 | Not published | 910 | 0.3 |
| New Mexico | $97,920 | Not published | 370 | 0.4 |
| Louisiana | $95,940 | Not published | 910 | 0.5 |
| Arkansas | $94,410 | Not published | 460 | 0.4 |
| South Dakota | $83,710 | Not published | 320 | 0.7 |
| Puerto Rico | $81,070 | Not published | 70 | 0.1 |
| Massachusetts | Not published | Not published | 160 | 0.0 |
| New Hampshire | Not published | Not published | 440 | 0.6 |
Pay by metro area
All 161 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.
Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.
| Metro area | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $315,450 | Not published | 130 | 0.8 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $280,630 | Not published | 50 | 0.2 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $274,730 | Not published | 130 | 0.7 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $232,600 | Not published | 90 | 0.2 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $225,900 | Not published | 1,210 | 0.1 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $211,350 | Not published | 100 | 0.2 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $205,700 | Not published | 50 | 0.2 |
| Midland, TX | $198,480 | Not published | 50 | 0.4 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $193,940 | Not published | 430 | 0.6 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $177,730 | Not published | 420 | 0.5 |
| Columbus, OH | $175,690 | Not published | 1,410 | 1.3 |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | $173,100 | Not published | 140 | 0.8 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $173,070 | Not published | 380 | 0.2 |
| Wilmington, NC | $172,320 | Not published | 40 | 0.2 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $171,560 | Not published | 60 | 0.8 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $170,600 | Not published | 50 | 0.1 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $167,310 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Cleveland, OH | $166,520 | Not published | 600 | 0.6 |
| Boulder, CO | $165,780 | Not published | 40 | 0.2 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $160,160 | Not published | 1,810 | 0.4 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $159,420 | Not published | 200 | 0.2 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $158,670 | Not published | 310 | 0.1 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $157,420 | Not published | 840 | 0.2 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | $157,210 | Not published | 40 | 0.2 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $156,760 | Not published | 200 | 0.3 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $153,210 | Not published | 50 | 0.1 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $149,200 | Not published | 60 | 0.3 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $146,880 | Not published | 560 | 0.2 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $145,210 | Not published | 30 | 0.2 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $144,750 | Not published | 430 | 0.3 |
| Modesto, CA | $140,920 | Not published | 50 | 0.2 |
| Mobile, AL | $137,960 | Not published | 50 | 0.3 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $137,810 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Bismarck, ND | $137,510 | Not published | 80 | 1.1 |
| Tulsa, OK | $137,490 | Not published | 150 | 0.3 |
| Bozeman, MT | $137,430 | Not published | 40 | 0.5 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $137,180 | Not published | 40 | 0.2 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $135,950 | Not published | 140 | 0.3 |
| Redding, CA | $135,340 | Not published | 50 | 0.7 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $134,030 | Not published | 200 | 0.2 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $133,870 | Not published | 110 | 0.3 |
| Reading, PA | $133,240 | Not published | 40 | 0.2 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $133,220 | Not published | 410 | 0.2 |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | $132,980 | Not published | 190 | 1.1 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $132,810 | Not published | 710 | 0.4 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $132,400 | Not published | 200 | 0.2 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | $131,950 | Not published | 110 | 0.7 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $131,590 | Not published | 370 | 0.3 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $131,420 | Not published | 790 | 0.2 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $131,000 | Not published | 200 | 0.2 |
| Boise City, ID | $130,900 | Not published | 120 | 0.3 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $130,630 | Not published | 40 | 0.1 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $130,600 | Not published | 140 | 0.2 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $130,230 | Not published | 190 | 0.2 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $129,850 | Not published | 140 | 0.1 |
| Rochester, NY | $129,350 | Not published | 40 | 0.1 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $128,900 | Not published | 370 | 0.3 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $128,770 | Not published | 100 | 0.2 |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $128,500 | Not published | 30 | 0.1 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $128,170 | Not published | 40 | 0.3 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $128,080 | Not published | 370 | 0.2 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $127,360 | Not published | 3,440 | 1.2 |
| Birmingham, AL | $127,280 | Not published | 150 | 0.3 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $126,990 | Not published | 500 | 0.2 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $126,550 | Not published | 560 | 0.3 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $126,400 | Not published | 530 | 2.4 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $126,270 | Not published | 110 | 0.9 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $125,850 | Not published | 510 | 0.2 |
| Salem, OR | $125,120 | Not published | 140 | 0.8 |
| Medford, OR | $124,990 | Not published | 40 | 0.4 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $124,570 | Not published | 190 | 0.2 |
| Chico, CA | $123,880 | Not published | 40 | 0.6 |
| Knoxville, TN | $123,000 | Not published | 80 | 0.2 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $122,420 | Not published | 200 | 0.3 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $122,230 | Not published | 40 | 0.1 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $121,490 | Not published | 130 | 0.3 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $120,910 | Not published | 70 | 0.2 |
| Jackson, MS | $119,990 | Not published | 60 | 0.2 |
| Richmond, VA | $119,710 | Not published | 120 | 0.2 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $119,400 | Not published | 120 | 0.4 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $118,980 | Not published | 50 | 0.1 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $118,190 | Not published | 240 | 0.2 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $117,790 | Not published | 550 | 0.4 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $117,660 | Not published | 130 | 0.5 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $115,450 | Not published | 40 | 0.1 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $114,560 | Not published | 30 | 0.4 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $114,350 | Not published | 30 | 0.3 |
| Springfield, MO | $114,000 | Not published | 50 | 0.2 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $112,320 | Not published | 250 | 0.1 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $112,100 | Not published | 110 | 0.6 |
| Fresno, CA | $112,000 | Not published | 80 | 0.2 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | $111,680 | Not published | 40 | 0.7 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $111,170 | Not published | 60 | 0.2 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $111,030 | Not published | 60 | 0.2 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $110,210 | Not published | 110 | 0.2 |
| Madison, WI | $109,740 | Not published | 90 | 0.2 |
| Tucson, AZ | $109,480 | Not published | 150 | 0.4 |
| Reno, NV | $108,550 | Not published | 70 | 0.3 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $107,810 | Not published | 50 | 0.2 |
| Ogden, UT | $107,600 | Not published | 60 | 0.2 |
| Cheyenne, WY | $106,860 | Not published | 40 | 0.9 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $106,510 | Not published | 80 | 0.1 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $106,440 | Not published | 360 | 0.2 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $106,350 | Not published | 220 | 0.3 |
| Wichita, KS | $106,250 | Not published | 370 | 1.2 |
| Greeley, CO | $106,150 | Not published | 30 | 0.3 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $105,910 | Not published | 300 | 0.3 |
| Billings, MT | $105,830 | Not published | 50 | 0.5 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $105,770 | Not published | 1,020 | 0.4 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $105,720 | Not published | 50 | 0.2 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $105,340 | Not published | 940 | 0.8 |
| Topeka, KS | $104,530 | Not published | 40 | 0.3 |
| Missoula, MT | $104,260 | Not published | 40 | 0.6 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $103,570 | Not published | 60 | 1.5 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $103,460 | Not published | 210 | 0.5 |
| Salinas, CA | $102,580 | Not published | 30 | 0.2 |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $102,460 | Not published | 60 | 0.9 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $102,300 | Not published | 150 | 0.5 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $101,820 | Not published | 150 | 0.4 |
| Peoria, IL | $101,820 | Not published | 30 | 0.2 |
| Huntsville, AL | $101,540 | Not published | 60 | 0.2 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $101,050 | Not published | 100 | 0.4 |
| Helena, MT | $100,940 | Not published | 50 | 1.0 |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | $100,420 | Not published | 30 | 0.9 |
| Ocala, FL | $100,240 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $100,230 | Not published | 60 | 0.2 |
| Anchorage, AK | $99,920 | Not published | 590 | 3.4 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $99,720 | Not published | 310 | 0.4 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $99,600 | Not published | 70 | 0.7 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $99,600 | Not published | 100 | 0.3 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $99,350 | Not published | 30 | 0.4 |
| Columbus, IN | $99,250 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Bend, OR | $99,010 | Not published | 80 | 0.8 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $98,000 | Not published | 90 | 0.4 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $97,780 | Not published | 100 | 0.3 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $97,570 | Not published | 160 | 1.9 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $95,870 | Not published | 50 | 0.6 |
| El Paso, TX | $94,690 | Not published | 80 | 0.2 |
| Tallahassee, FL | $94,410 | Not published | 40 | 0.2 |
| Columbia, SC | $92,300 | Not published | 60 | 0.2 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $92,150 | Not published | 60 | 0.2 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $91,540 | Not published | 380 | 0.3 |
| Monroe, LA | $91,490 | Not published | 40 | 0.5 |
| Montgomery, AL | $91,120 | Not published | 60 | 0.4 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $89,700 | Not published | 90 | 0.2 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $86,860 | Not published | 50 | 0.6 |
| Rapid City, SD | $86,150 | Not published | 60 | 0.9 |
| Akron, OH | $84,170 | Not published | 80 | 0.3 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $81,180 | Not published | 60 | 0.1 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $80,160 | Not published | 180 | 0.2 |
| Lafayette, LA | $79,430 | Not published | 210 | 1.2 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $77,750 | Not published | 110 | 0.5 |
| Visalia, CA | $75,600 | Not published | 40 | 0.3 |
| Flagstaff, AZ | $68,460 | Not published | 120 | 1.8 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $67,770 | Not published | 30 | 0.3 |
| Toledo, OH | $61,080 | Not published | 100 | 0.3 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $45,160 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Not published | Not published | 460 | 0.2 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | Not published | Not published | 80 | 0.8 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Not published | Not published | 1,980 | 0.3 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | Not published | Not published | 50 | 0.4 |
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.